Knitting machine



Allg- 19 1941 H. E. HoUsEMAN 2,253,331

KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 Aug. 19, 1941'. H; E, HOUSEMAN 2,253,331

KNITTING MACHINE Filed May l2, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EY /LW w3? Aff IVE/5.

corresponding yarn finger to inactive position. The push bars I4 are guided at their lower ends within a conventional type of comb 22. As contrasted with the arrangement in said Page patent and my patent mentioned above, these push bars do not extend downwardly to a sufficient extent to be engaged by cams on the drum 32.

Each of the bars I4 is notched as indicated at 24 to receive the forwardly extending arm 26 of a corresponding actuating lever pivoted on a horizontal pin 28 and having a depending arm 38 adapted to be engaged by any cams occupying a corresponding axial portion of the main cam drum, 32.

Each of the push bars I4 is also provided with a notch above its notch 24 having at its lower end a shoulder 34 and at its upper end a cam portion 36. Corresponding to each of the bars I4 is a detent 38, these detents being located side by side and pivoted upon a common pin 42. Each of them has a rearwardly extending arm 44 urged downwardly by a spring 46 to cause the detent to occupy normally a forward position limited by a stop pin 48 extending across all of the detents.

Pivoted upon the pin 42 is a yoke 48 provided with a transverse element U lying in front of the detents as indicated in Figure 2. This yoke 48 is adapted to be rocked by the action of any cam portion 36 upon its transverse element 50 to cause that element to engage the detents 38 to move them rearwardly out of the path of the stop shoulder 34.

Each of the levers comprising arms 26 and 30 has a third rearwardly extending arm 52 which,

on its under side is provided with sloping cam surfaces 54 and 56. Corresponding to each of these arms is an actuator 58, the actuators being pivoted upon a transverse pin 60 secured in the upper end of an oscillating bracket 62 pivoted 'at 64 to the frame and adapted to be oscillated once for each revolution of the needle cylinder 'by' means such as illustrated in my said prior .application.

Each of the actuators 58 is provided with an upward extension 66 adapted to engage a transeiect the various successive operations of each t;

lever. Each of these cams is provided with surfaces 18, 80 and 82 the purposes of which will be apparent hereafter. The cam drum is stepped about in the direction of the arrow in the usual fashion.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted therein that the yoke 48 is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 84 with which is adapted to engage an adjustable screw 86 carried by the lever 88 underlying a pin 98 on a push bar 92, which is urged downwardly by a spring 94 to cause its lower end to engage the cam drum 32 or, possibly, cams thereon. This push bar 92 is adapted to operate clamping and cutting means of conventional type indicated at 98, the clamping and cutting means being adapted to clamp and cut any yarn which is being taken out of action.

The operation of this device may best be considered byl taking into account separately Vthe control of the yarn fingers by the cams on the drum 32, the control of the yarn ngers by the chain striping means comprising the elements carried by the bracket 62, and the clamp and cutter operating means.

Referring first to the operations due to the cams on the drum 32, Figure 1 illustrates the position of a push bar I4 when its corresponding yarn nger 6 is active. Under such conditions, the push bar will -be slightly spaced from its finger as illustrated and will be held against upward movement under the action of spring I6 by engagement of its detent 38 with its shoulder 34. At such time, the other push bars corresponding to yarn ngers which are inactive will be in upper position having their shoulders I8 engaging stop 20 and accordingly holding their corresponding yarn fingers raised. The detents 38 of such push bars will be resting against their edges below the shoulders 34. The transverse member 50 will at this time lie in the lower portion of the notch below the cam surface 36 of the active push bar I4.

When a change is to be made to another of the yarns, the corresponding push bar is engaged by a cam 'I6 and the change takes place in a series of steps. As the follower arm 38 correspending to the yarn finger which is going into action rides upon the surface 'I8 of a cam 16, the push bar I4 is lowered to a sufficient extent to clear its yarn nger, and consequently the new yarn immediately goes into action. At this time, the downward movement of the corresponding push bar will not be sufficient to cause the cam 35 to move the yoke 48 to disengage the detent 38 from the push bar which has been heretofore removed from its yarn finger which has been in operative position. Thus there is/provided a suitable overlap of the ingoing and outgoing yarns.

A continuous movement of the cam '16, however, almost immediately causes the cam surface 8G to move the member 26 still further. Since the push bar of the yarn going into action has already cleared its yarn nger, no further action on this yarn nger takes place. However, the cam 36 of the bar which is being lowered now swings the yoke to such extent as to disengage any detent or detents 38 from their corresponding shoulders 34. Thus the push bars, with the exception of the one which is being lowered, will be released to snap their yarn ngers out of action by the effort of springs I6, which are substantially stronger than the springs I2, tending to hold the yarn lingers in active position.

The movement of cam 16 continues still further, so that the arm 38 will drop upon the portion 82 of the cam 16. This action is sufficient to permit the cam 36 of the lowered bar to rise so that yoke 48 is released and the detents 38 may move counterclockwise under the action of their springs 46. The detent corresponding to the push bar which was lowered then moves above its shoulder 34. As the cam 'I6 advances to the nal position of its step movement, the arm 30 is completely released and the Push bar may rise slightly so that its shoulder 34 engages the detent 38. Thus all the parts are rendered ready for a subsequent substitution of yarn fingers.

All of the above described actions occur in a rapid single advance of the drum 32 and the various actions follow in rapid sequence, the action .being so rapid that in general only a small, though definite, overlap of the ingoing and outgoing yarns will take place.

Passing now tof the operation of the chain striping. means .feiertags 'may `be roede for letails ,i the operation or the selecting mechanism Patent d llllvirfsrrea t above It will be fetos@ t @the devices. Shown in that patent are 9i" a somewhat more. elaborate. We@ than is, necessary in. ,the pretest mechanism., 'It will( be suficiente siate .that ih e Selector niember Si it more@ rara el te the exis. indicated at 64 SQ'. tb. be postwned by a pattern chain behind. les f ne members fe As the bracket B2 rocks rearwardiy, the upper portion i6. @La member@ will `be" engaged. bv .the Selectol: 68, SQ tbatiis end.: 58 will d'r'QP into Contact with the, er@ of the erm. `i?-k The" arm 52 Can,- eotyild, des to the, action Or. the Shoulder bar l* steering; a "11st .21191115 @iS-pointed Oui my. Said retentir. .Seleeier '9a' is. viewable against its atroce Sprite. aed'consequn'ilv as rarrard mvemeetf. the besket pioeeds. the member: 58' 1,1 ultimately ride Off the end 0f the arm 52 and will' then snap to a position lower the end e fr that arrn, theV spring controlling the selector 68caus`ii1gsu'ch lowering action.

uForward movement of; the bracket then ocs curs. The member 58 wili now be Ibacked up by the stop 12 and as it moves forward; will successively engage the slopingsurfaces 54 Aan`d 56 of the lever 5,2,` imparting toit the same steps of movement as were vimparted by the cam surfaces 18 and 80. By suoli actioma change of yarns is efiecteol iri-` the same fashion as by the cam 116.

As Athe bracket 8 2 thenrnoves rearwardly, successive release. 'oi the three-armed, lever takes place,I effecting the releasing steps similar to those occasioned by the presence of the cam surface g2; Prior tofthis reawardmovement, the selector 68- will have moved to a neutral position in which it will not engagea-ny of the other members 58, and consequently the spring 14 will raise the member which has just been operative to an upper inactive .position against the stop 1li. Ir an immediateyarnch'ang-e is to be effectedi, it is, 'of course, possible that another member will be lowered to eiiect a yarn change in the next forward movement of the bracket 62.

It will be evident from the above that the three-arr'ned4 member which effects the yarn `changes maybe independently actuated byeither the cams on the Ydrum 321er through a suitable pattern chain controlling the `selector 68'.

At theA occurrence of each yarn change, clamping and cutting of the yarn going out of action takes place. 'lillois result i`s achieved by the devices illustrated in Figure 3. The rearwardly extending arm 84"4 of 1'the yoke 48- will be rocked upwardly. whenever that yoke is acted upon by the cam 36 of any of the yarn linger push bars. As it moves upwardly, it will engage the adjustable screw 88 of .the lever 88, causing this lever to rise, engaging the. pin $.03, and" lifting the` push bar 9.2 which causes a clamping and cutting action ofV the .Clamping and Cutting.- mechanism to take place. 'IY-he adjustment of the Screw 85 is such that, the clamp and cutterwill be opened wide emmen to insure. release of the inscire` yarn and reception of the outgoing yarn, Release ofl yoke 8 4 takes place when` the outgoing yarn. is.` well within the Clamp and cutter and effects clamping angel @uiting Qi it in tu@ event that additional. vain misera are madesubicct. to` control. not. Q .f *lle-tine, dQlbfd herein, but of the type disclosed in said Page patent, cams may/lie. provided on the drum 32 for! separate. actuation of the. clamping and cutting devices.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: v

1. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a Vplurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn lingers towards their yarn 'feeding positions, individual controlling elements for said fingers, spring means urging said controlling elements to move their respective fingers from yarn feeding position, and pattern controlled means'for selectively positioning said controlling elements so that they'may allow their respective fingers to feed yarns or` may move them out of yarn feeding position.

2. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn lingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers toward their yarn feeding positions,- individual controlling elem-ents for said fingers; and operating means for said oontrolling elements, said operating means being arranged' to move a controlling element to release its yarn finger to operative position,and to cause the con-` trolling velement in the same movement torender inoperative any yarn linger which was previously active.

3. In a circular knitting machine, aneedle cylinder carrying independent needles, a Plllrality of yarn :linger-s, spring means for urging said 'yarn fingers toward their'yarn feeding positions, individual `controlling elements for said lingers, yspring means urging said controlling elements to move their1 `respeotive fingers from yarn feeding position, detent means for restrainingy said controlling elements from actuation by theirli spr-ing means, and means arranged`v to operate a oontrolling element to allow its corresponding finger to. feed yarn, and simultaneously toy release a detent restraining a controlling element for a finger previously operative thereby` to render said last named finger inoperative.

4.111 a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality ofyarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers toward their yarn feeding positions, individual controlling elements for said `fingers, spring means-urging` said controlling elements to move their respective fingers from yarn feeding position, d'etent means for restraining said con.- trolling elements form actuation by their spring means, and means arranged to operate a controlling elernent to allow its corresponding linger to feed yarn, and simultaneously to release a datent restraining ra controlling element for a lringer previously operative thereby to render said last named finger inoperative, said last named meansfefiecting the successive positioning of a lnew finger and removal of' a previously active linger to effect overlap of the yarns fed thereby- 1 5. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn ngers toward their yarn feeding positions, yarn linger operating means arranged to release a finger which is to become active to `feed its yarn and to elevate into non-feeding position al iinger which has previously been active, clamping :and cutting means Varranged to clamp. 'and out a yarn which is beine rendered, inactive, means for opfer.- ailes` Said clamping and Cutting, means 'and means @ostative from 'a "Single netterr1` to effect a change of yarn and clamping and cutting of the yarn which is mov-ed out of action.

6. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers toward their yarn feeding positions, yarn finger operating means arranged to release a finger which it to become active to feed its yarn and to elevate into non-feeding position a finger which has previously been active, clamping and cutting means arranged to clamp and cut a yarn which is being rendered inactive, means for operating said clamping and cutting means, a striping device comprising selective operators, and means operable by a single selected operator to effect a change of yarn and clamping and cutting of a yarn which is moved out of action.

'7. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers toward their yarn feeding positions, yarn finger operating means arranged to release a finger which is to become active to feed its yarn and to elevate into non-feeding position a finger which has previouslybeen active, clamping and cutting means arranged to clamp and cut a yarn which is being rendered inactive, means for operating said clamping and cutting means,

a pattern device, striping means comprising a .l

plurality of selective operators, and means operable selectively either by a single cam on said pattern device or by a selected operator to effect a change of yarn and clamping and cutting of a yarn which is moved out of action.

8. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers toward their yarn feeding positions, a plurality of pattern devices, and means selectively operable from a single controlling element of any of said pattern devices to effect a change of yarn.

9. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers toward their yarn feeding positions, individual controlling elements for said fingers, spring means urging said controlling elements to move their respective fingers from yarn feeding position, and detents for restraining said controlling elements from motion under the action of their spring means.

10. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn lingers toward their yarn feeding positions, individual controlling elements for said fingers, spring means urging said controlling elements to move their respective fingers from yarn feeding position, detents for restraining said controlling elements from motion under the action of their spring means, and pattern devices for controlling said detents.

11. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plu-- rality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers toward their yarn feeding positions, yarn nger operating means arranged to release a finger which is to become active to feed its yarn and to move into non-feeding position la finger which has previously been active, a striping device comprising selective operators, and means operable by a single selective operator to effect substitution of one yarn for another.

12. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn ngers toward their yarn feeding positions, yarn finger operating means arranged to release a finger which is to become active to feed its yarn and to move into non-feeding position a finger which has previously been active, a pattern device, striping means comprising a plurality of selective operators, and means operable selectively either by a single cam on said pattern device or by a selective operator to effect substitution of one yarn for another.

13. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers towards their yarn feeding positions, a pattern device carrying cams, and means for effecting changes of yarn comprising cam followers, one for each yarn riger, engageable by said cams, each of said cams being arranged to effect, through one only of said followers, an insertion of the yarn corresponding to said follower and removal of any other yarn previously active.

14. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn ngers towards their yarn feeding positions, a pattern device, a plurality of series of cams on said pattern device, the lcams of the Various series being variously positioned depending upon the sequence in which yarn fingers are to be rendered active, and followers arranged to be operated by said cams to effect yarn changes, each follower being arranged to be acted upon by cams of one series only, and each complete yarn change being performed solely by the action of one cam upon the one follower belonging to its series.

15. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers towards their yarn feeding positions, a pattern device, a plurality of series of cams on saidpattern device, the cams of the various series being variously positioned depending upon the sequence in which yarn fingers are to be rendered active, and followers individual to the yarn fingers arranged to be operated by said cams to effect yarn changes, each follower being arranged to be acted upon by cams of one series only, and each complete yarn change being performed solely by the action of one cam upon the one follower belonging to its series to render active the finger corresponding to said follower and to render inactive any other previously active yarn finger.

16. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder carrying independent needles, a plurality of yarn fingers, spring means for urging said yarn fingers towards their yarn feeding positions, clamping and cutting means for the yarns, a pattern device carrying cams, and means for eecting changes of yarn comprising cam followers, one for each yarn finger, engageable by said cams, each of said cams being arranged to effect, through one only of said followers, an insertion of the yarn corresponding to said follower and removal of any other yarn previously active, and the operation of said clamping and cutting means on the yarn being removed.

HAROLD E. HOUSEMAN. 

